4.268 Inasal Chicken

Cycle 4 – Item 268

30 (Mon) September 2013

Inasal Chicken

2.5

at Inasal Chicken Bacolod

-Ermita, Manila, Metro Manila, Philippines-

solo

WHO Informal Consultation on Reducing the Harmful Impact on Children of Marketing Foods, Beverages, Tobacco, and Alcohol + Singapore Diet + WHO Health Law Project (Day 7)

In Manila. Two sponsored objectives of the trip, under the auspices of the World Health Organization Regional Office for the Western Pacific (WHO WPRO): (1) to participate in a technical expert meeting on finding ways to protect children from the marketing of unhealthy products; (2) to progress the health law project that I’ve been involved with since last year. The more important informal objective, on my own dime: (3) to visit Singapore and stuff my face.

LUNCH

On my own for lunch, I walked down to Robinsons Place. Recalling the experience from my prior visit (see 3.243 Seafood Platter + Pancit Bihon + Ihaw Pusit), I gave the food court another shot.

Alas, I found myself intimidated once again. I settled on a few items that looked the most harmless. I did not enjoy them, at all.

DINNER

Inasal Chicken Bacolod (ICB) is a Philippine chain restaurant. The business started in 1976 as a small restaurant in Bacolod, specializing in the regional specialty inasal. In 1997, the first branded ICB was opened in Manila. Now 12 locations around Metro Manila, including one 30 meters across the street from WPRO. Inasal chicken remains the house specialty. The menu also includes standard soup and noodle dishes.

With prices ranging from PHP 100 (about USD 2.50) to 200 per dish, ICB is about as cheap as a mainstream made-to-order eatery here can get. Just a fews pesos above fast food or food court.

On my own for dinner, I had dinner at ICB. The chicken was okay. I got my money’s worth, which wasn’t much, of course. But it was the kind of small quiet meal that I needed after the gluttony in Singapore.